


in the heart of the sand

by moonplums



Category: Naruto
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha Gaara (Naruto), Alpha Sasori, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Daddy Issues, Drinking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heartbreak, Intersex Characters, Kazekage Gaara (Naruto), M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mental Anguish, No Uchiha Massacre, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Uchiha Itachi, Omega Uchiha Sasuke, Pining, Vaginal Sex, a warning for sasoris abandonment issues, bc sasori itachi sasuke and gaara all have them, itachi: but daddy i love the creepy man in his late thirties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:46:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25913833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonplums/pseuds/moonplums
Summary: itachi and sasuke dont have any luck finding love within their home village.
Relationships: Gaara/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Sasori/Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Izumi-unfufilled, Uchiha Izumi/Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto-unfufilled
Comments: 33
Kudos: 220





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> please read all the tags  
> dont like, please simply do not read
> 
> when i first started writing this itachi was gonna leave the village after the betrayal and end up meeting kisame and falling n love with him but gjsjfhhsjf tbh no matter how much he hurts i dont think itachi would leave the village, as much as i want him to. itachi holding a grudge at all is already quite a stretch so it ended up like this

Itachi wanted to marry Izumi. 

The alpha female was warm, and smelled nice and gave him sweet things to eat. They got along with one another, though he often pretended to be indifferent.Itachi always felt protected in her presence, though they both knew he didn't need to be protected. Still, it was a feeling he appreciated having. There were times when even he could feel nervous around Alphas, could feel their eyes ranking over his body.

But Izumi never did that. She treated him only kindly. She respected him, kept her distance when it was obvious he wanted it, though that was rare when he was with her, and he wanted to marry her. He wanted to marry her. He never asked his parents for anything, but if he was to ask, he would ask for her. 

He knew from a young age that his parents and the elders would pick who he would marry. It was a simple part of being an Uchiha. He wasn't ever particularly too disturbed or stressed out about it. Not until Izumi.

Omegas don't get to be head of the clan. They can be the mate of a clan leader, but it was rare. Most of the time, the head pairing were two alphas, like his mother and his father. It was likely done to assure that the couple would have Alpha young, and the power could stay in one direct line. But it had not happened according to their plans. Itachi had been born an Omega, and so had Sasuke. 

His father had hoped to continue on the position as clan leader within their bloodline, but with two omega sons, and Mikoto unwilling to carry anymore young, they would simply be unable.

Itachi did not think that there was even a moment where Fugaku and the rest of the Clan even considered changing the ancient rule of an omega being unable to lead the clan. They were simply too traditional. To conservative, too stuck in their old ways, unwilling to change, just like the other clans were changing here and there.

The Uchihas were the most powerful clan just as they were, so no one would dream of changing anything that might go against their own success in the long run. 

So his father went for the next best thing, and picked a young alpha to groom into his perfect successor. 

There was no one better than Shisui. He was impressive, even for an Uchiha, and even those who held contempt for their clan admired and liked him. His father began training him as soon as Sasuke was born and they discovered his secondary gender, and he was in and out of their house almost like a third son. The son that their father had always wanted, but never got. Of course, Shisui’s parents had been thrilled as well. 

Itachi liked Shisui, and they became fast friends, despite their age difference. He was nice to Itachi, and he helped him train. Things did not seem so scary when they were together, the future did not look so bleak and painful. If things were different, if Shisui was not taken under his father's arm, Itachi might have even hoped for them to be paired together, if not for his feelings for Izumi. 

Itachi had never felt shame for being born an Omega, but maybe he should have. If he had been born an Alpha, he would have likely been leader of the pack one day. If he was born an Alpha, maybe he would have been able to marry Izumi, and they could have led the clan together. 

Itachi shouldn't feel anger towards Shisui. He knew that. He didn't get to choose. No Uchiha of their status gets a choice in who they marry.. They simply have to live with it and make the best of it. He knew for a fact that his own parents' marriage had been arranged for them. 

It wasn't his fault, Itachi reminded himself again and again. But why...why did his parents have to choose her? Why her? Why the one Alpha that he had wanted? 

Did Shisui protest? Did he go right along with it? Did he try to convince them otherwise, at the very least? He knew. He had listened to Itachi talk so shyly about the brunette alpha who walked him home for years. Since the academy and onwards. 

But he had looked so happy. Holding Izumi’s hand, smiling, beaming brightly out at everyone. Sure, it could have been a facade, one to please the clan, but that didn't mean it didn't make his heartache. 

There had been some excitement when they had been called for the clan meeting. As he and Sasuke walked down the street, he heard mutters that it was for a marriage announcement. Even though he knew it was unlikely, since both parties were usually told ahead of time, just for a moment, he had considered that it was for his own.

Just recently, mother had told him just how grown up he seemed. Maybe they thought he was ready. Engagements usually lasted a few years before the actual marriage, anyways. His age would be a problem for them. If he remembered correctly, his mother had been thirteen when she had been engaged to his father, and then it had been five years later they were actually wed. 

It could be considered an odd practice, but it was simply the Uchiha way of doing things. 

Itachi sat in the front row with his brother not even a step behind him, the two of them sitting with mother, as always. As they got comfortable, Itachi had met eyes with Izumi, and he had given her a smile.

She had smiled back, but he hadn't noticed how it didn't reach her eyes. 

His father had taken his place, and it had begun. A few miniscule matters had been attended to, and then, and then, Itachi's heart had been ripped out and torn up in front of everyone.   
In the midst of the cheer and the scents of joy and happiness, his own had broken out for him, just for a moment, the deep, pungent smell of omega agony. Just for a moment, so quick barely anyone seemed to notice. Sasuke had whimpered and hid in his side, looking shocked. 

He didnt even know how he had left the meeting, or how he had gotten home. One moment he was sitting there, enduring, and then after a hour or so he did not remember at all, he was in his room, all alone, wanting to tear everything apart, but being unable. 

Everyone knew, didn't they? Izumi knew. They had smelled his body's attraction towards Izumi, one that he had never shown towards another Alpha before. His parents...they knew as well, he was sure. All the times she had insisted on walking him home, all the times she had waited for him to come home from a mission, all the times she had braided his hair to keep it out of his face.

Izumi. Itachi wanted to feel angry at her as well. She must have known ahead of time. At least a month or so before the announcement. But she never told him, none of them ever told him. She kept on walking him home, kept on smelling his wanting scent, knew that he wanted her, despite what he had said, smiled at him, touched his hair, brought him sweet things to welcome him back home from a mission when their schedules both allowed it. 

And she had not told him. She didn't even hint at it.

The humiliation he felt was incorrigible. 

He had...he had thought about her during his heats. He had fingered himself open to the thought of her taking him on the pristine covers of his futon, his silkin folds making way for her. He thought about her taking him however she pleased, thought about her filling his womb with as many pups as she wanted, over and over again. 

And still, no one had thought to tell him. 

It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. It made rage burn underneath his skin like he had never felt it before. It was so powerful that it terrified him, he had never felt such contempt, so much anger and resentment and sorrow. It wasn't like him at all, he knew, he never felt like this before.

He was the good child, the perfect child, he always made his parents proud. He always did everything they wanted him to do, no matter what, no matter how he felt. Again and again, he had always fulfilled their requests, he never let them down.

And the one thing, the only thing that he wanted, the one thing they had to have known he wanted, they would deny him of it.

There were so many other alphas in the clan Shisui could have been paired with. Izumi had been attracted to him, she had wanted him to. So, why? Why did they have to do this to him? 

For the very first time, he felt a flicker of bloodlust, the desire to hurt and injure, to get revenge, and it shocked him so badly he went stone still. 

And then all at once, he fell apart. The anger flew from his body as quickly as it had come, and he simply felt so devastated he could hardly breathe. He laid on his futon on his hands and knees, his head buried deep down into it, his fists clenched on either side of him as they shook. 

Itachi did not cry often. He hadn't cried in years, he was sure. But that night, he cried terribly, in the shadows of his room, curled up into a corner with his futon, moonlight spilling in through the windows, and it only made his heart ache more and more. 

He heard the door to his room slide open and he stilled, his sobbing dying in his throat. Feeling movement across his floor, he stayed perfectly still, expecting his mother or his father. He didn't want to face them, he would just feel angry again. He wouldn't even be able to show it, even if he did. Even now, they would still expect him to keep his composure. 

Instead, a small hand pats his shoulder and Itachi feels something, an emotion that isn't disgusting and bitter and heavy for the first time in hours. He lifted his head, a smile crossing his face, strained, so painful looking, but a smile nonetheless.

If he could smile for anyone, it would always be for Sasuke. 

Itachi could feel his stomach sink at the worry overflowing those obsidian eyes. It felt so wrong. Sasuke shouldn't worry for him, Sasuke should never feel anything besides happiness. 

He should not cry in front of him, he knew that. He couldn't show that he was hurt by the decisions of the clan, of their parents. It would only hurt Sasuke, make him fear for his own future, make him worry about who he would one day be coaxed into marrying. 

Itachi rose onto his knees and took Sasuke into his arms, holding the pup close, smelling his own pheromones settle down as soon as they had skin to skin contact. Pups were always comforting to Omega in distress, but Sasuke was more special than simple instincts. He doubted he would actually want to hold any pup other than his brother at the moment. 

“She didn't deserve to marry you anyways, Aniki.”

Itachi started crying again before he could help himself. He sobbed into Sasuke’s soft, sweet smelling hair, and Sasuke reached up and patted his head. 

Itachi looks up over his head, and sees his now red irises staring back at him, watching as they rotate within his own sockets. 

He doesn't get to marry Izumi. 

...

“You've awoken the Sharingan,”

It was the first thing his father had said to him since the announcement. 

At once, he turned on his heel to face his sire, and bowed his head. “Yes, father.” 

More than ever, Itachi was thankful for his training. Though they had been out of control the night before, he now had a perfect hand over his own scent, not giving anything away. He felt rather numb, but that was nothing new for him, really.

It was never so bad as this, but the feeling was not a stranger. 

“I'm proud of you.” Fugaku said, with a faint nod of his head.

Why are you so proud of my suffering?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to clarify some things 
> 
> -minato and kushina are still alive, idk if that was obvious or not, so when i talk about the hokage, im talking about minato  
> -massacre never happened, so sasuke has no reason to go to orochimaru etc etc,  
> -orochimaru aint even all that evil in this, bc hes bonded to tsunade and jiraiya  
> -the akatsuki dont even exist in this au tbh  
> -sasoris parents still died in this au, except this time chiyo was able to give him the warmth and attention that he needed  
> -its still sasori tho so hes still a little weird  
> -also he never ended up turning himself into a puppet. so hes full grown, but he still p much looks like our sasori, just maybe an inch or two taller, and his face just a bit more aged idk

Itachi had to watch as, years later, the same thing that had broken his heart happened to his younger brother. 

His brother had always been a rather broody and independent child, and, in his youngest years, rather shy. He didn't make many friends, and stayed glued to his brothers' side whenever they were in the same vicinity as one another. 

Itachi had worried about him, he always had, ever since he had been born. He knew one day Sasuke would come to have complicated feelings towards both of his parents, just as Itachi had, especially towards their father. It hurt to know their sire had given up on them due to their secondary gender. It hurt to know, even though Itachi was sure their father loved them deep down, they were nonetheless disappointments to him just for being born. 

Their mother surely had complicated feelings towards them as well. In a way, their mere existence had shamed her. She was supposed to give the leader of the clan alpha children, only to give him nothing but omegas. Itachi was sure it was a burn to her pride as an alpha as well. 

She merely hid it much better than their father ever could. One way or another, they were still her offspring, so she still found it within herself to love them. 

Their power and skill surely helped with that as well. If they had both been frail and meek little things, too scared to perform a mud wall jutsu, the story may have not been the same. Nonetheless, they were both skillful students and had an impressive amount of chakra, omega or not. 

The main difference between the siblings was their temper. 

One afternoon, when Sasuke was thirteen, Itachi came back from a mission to find the entire village had been disrupted, and there were currently full earth tremors coming from the direction of the Uchiha compound. 

He had hurried home from his mission that day. He knew his younger brother had passed the final stage of the chunin exams, and knew that Sasuke wished for him to help him train. They had little time to prepare, less than a month now. 

Thinking the worst, Itachi had not stopped to help comfort some of the concerned looking villagers like all the other ninja in the road, and hurried home. There were the distressed wails of babies in the streets, and barking dogs, but besides that, the main streets seemed to be undisturbed, and he hurried towards the forest. 

Eventually he came across his cousin, Obito, and his mate Rin, and with them were Kakashi and Gai. They were all frowning and huddled close together, watching as another tree in the distance was knocked out of the treeline and went crashing to the ground. 

He could see his parents, as well as Shisui and Izumi, talking with one another up ahead, but he decided to stop at his cousin's side instead. It was much less painful to talk to them than it was to talk to his own parents, if he was being honest with himself. 

“Whats happening?” 

The four turned to look at him, only Kakashi not caught off guard by his presence. Itachi had always thought Omegas were a bit more inclined to be better at sensing. 

“The Hokage announced the engagement of his son today.” Obito told him. 

Itachi paused at that. Being on Kakashi’s team, Sasuke had grown quite close to the Hokage's son, and had harbored feelings for the young alpha for years before that. There had been whispers, like there had been with Itachi, that surely, the Hokage would set up a marriage between his son and the young Uchiha, to help strengthen the bonds between the Uchiha and the rest of the village.

Itachi knew that Sasuke had been getting his hopes up, just like he once had. Itachi had not wanted his own pain to affect his brother, so he had let him, always secretly worrying that things would go south. 

“Naruto is going to marry the Hyuuga heir.” Kakashi told him flatly, looking none too pleased about it himself, as if he was silently raging about his own Sensei's decision on the matter. 

Itachi's heart dropped down into the bit of his stomach. 

He took off on a dead run, ignoring the calls of his name by his mother and Izumi, rushing past them to his brother, who he knew must have been hurting beyond comparison. He found him a ways ahead, ragging against anything he could get his hands on, his eyes scarlet and leaking tears of blood. 

“Sasuke,” He called breathlessly, his chest aching with empathy. Somewhere in the far reaches of his mind, memories of his own heartbreak echoed, and it made his heart clench even tighter. 

Sasuke ignored him, and Itachi couldn't watch any longer, going to his brother and catching him around the waist. Sasuke shrieked and cried, limbs flailing as Itachi fell down onto his knees, holding back tears. Sasuke was hugged close to his chest, his loose hair covering both of their faces. 

Sasuke seemed to come to his senses, no longer trying to tear Itachi apart. The younger omega went slack all at once, slumped into Itachi's embrace. 

_ “Why?” _

_ Why didn't they choose me? Why did they choose her instead? Why did I even have to fall for him in the first place?  _ Sasuke could be asking any of those questions and many more, but Itachi sadly could not answer any of them. 

“I’m sorry, Sasuke.” Itachi said, tightening his hold on the body that was still so small, so light. He was too young to feel so much pain, Itachi wanted to argue with the world. Why did his little brother have to suffer? Why did his heart have to ache? It was unfair. It felt wrong. 

“Why?” 

“One day, I promise, one day, it won't hurt this much.”

Itachi could hear the soft crunch of footsteps approaching, but didn't lift his head. Sasuke was his main priority, and likely always would be. Sasuke had both his hands over his chest, right over his heart, as if that would make it hurt any less. It made Itachi feel like he had been repeatedly punched in the gut. 

He could feel his parents' presence, and Sasuke must have too, as the young Omega suddenly came to life again, struggling to shove his head between Itachis and his arm.

“Why do you have to hate us so much?” Sasuke screamed at his father from the safety of his brother's arms. Itachi couldn't see it, but knew his father must have been shocked. Sasuke had never yelled at either of his parents, much less his father. Sasuke had always longed for his praise and his love, and now he had aided in his heartbreak. Sasuke must have known as well as Itachi that arrangements made for clan heads or future clan heads always went through the collective clan council as well as the village council. 

Decisions like that were usually made, at the earliest, when both parties were thirteen. The hyuuga heir had just reached his age for such discussions just a week and a half before. The decision had been made quickly, which likely meant none of the involved parties had put up a fuss about the engagement. 

Which meant Fugaku hadn't put in any effort to argue for his youngest son's interest. If he had, they would have taken at least a few weeks to examine the benefits of the pairing. 

“Shh, Sasuke, I know it hurts.”

“I've always wanted to be a good son! I've always wanted to make you proud! I haven't been as good as Itachi, but I try my best to make you happy!”

“Sasuke-”

“Why can't you love us as much as you love Shisui? It isn't our fault we arent Alphas, so why do you hold it against us so much?”

“Sasuke, please-”

“I know we’re disappointments, I know we couldn't take your place like you wanted us to. But why couldn't you have-why couldn't you have cared about us more? You cant even give us the mates we wanted, or at least try! Why can't you try for us as much as we try for you?” 

“Sasuke, enough.”

Itachi raises to his feet, turning his brother in his arms so his head is tucked over his shoulder, face hidden by his hair from their parents' gazes. His little legs lock around his waist after a pat to the back, and Itachi curves inwards to cover even more of his brother. Sasuke has lost himself to crying again, hands scrambling for purchase on Itachi's shoulders, face hidden in his neck as tears stain Itachi's skin. 

Itachi doesnt turn to look at his parents, doesn't dare to see their reaction. It's best to get Sasuke out of their sights, before his father recovers from his shock and releases the same temper Sasuke had inherited. 

Itachi could feel Kakashi close by, keeping a careful watch over the brothers as they passed their parents by, and he appreciated it greatly. He stood between them and their parents, though off to the side so they wouldn't notice easily. 

“I’m sorry, Father, Mother.” He paused. “Shisui-san, Izumi-san. I’ll take him home now.” 

More than likely, The Hokage had been notified of the disaster going on and would be showing up any moment. Itachi wanted Sasuke far away before the blonde alpha showed his face, knowing it would only set his brother off further. 

Sasuke had loved and respected the Hokage deeply, just as he had loved and wanted to impress their own father. Itachi couldn't even count the amount of times that Sasuke had come home from Naruto's house, beaming and telling itachi how the Hokage was so nice to him and had showered him in compliments and praises. He had felt the Hokages' approval, or what he thought was. Knowing Sasuke, he likely felt deeply betrayed. Itachi couldn't even begin to guess what Sasuke might say to the man in his current state. 

“When did it stop hurting you?,” Sasuke mumbled against his collarbone. 

Itachi almost stumbled. 

_ It never really did.  _ It had been so much deeper and worse than a rejected crush. It had cut into Itachi bone deep, the way he knew it must be for Sasuke. 

“It will take time,” Itachi said, as firmly as he could against the top of his brother's head. “But you will overcome it.”

Sasuke made a strangled, soft noise, and fell asleep in his arms before they reached their gate. 

…

Itachi almost made him late for the finals. 

They had been training together every day. They would rise early, and only return late at night, mostly to avoid their parents. 

He had expected to be called to see his parents, to be yelled at, to be punished for protecting Sasuke when he had been so disrespectful. He would have taken it all in silence. If he couldn't protect Sasuke, what other purpose did he have at that point?

But it never came. Neither of his parents brought it up with either of them. It was as if Sasuke's fit had never happened. If anything, their parents had begun to show more tolerance and gave them more space. 

Normally, their father would have thrown his own fit if Itachi had taken almost four weeks off to help prepare Sasuke for the finals. Instead, he had simply nodded and wished them both the best of luck. 

Most of their time was spent on teaching Sasuke how to handle his newly developed Sharingan, and then touching up on his taijutsu, per Kakashi's suggestion. 

It was all going according to plan, until Sasuke fell into heat just ten days before the final. 

Itachi knew, like any other Omega, that heats were irregular when one was young. It was only the second time Sasuke had had one, and the younger had been furious when Itachi had insisted that he be locked up for it. 

Itachi had contacted Kakashi immediately, and informed him that his brother may not even be able to attend the finals. Luckily, it had run short, and on the seventh morning, Sasuke came crawling out of his room, demanding they return to training. 

After a day of extremely forced healing, Itachi had brought him back out for last minute preparations. 

On the day of the finals, the smell of Sasuke's heat still lingered on him, and Itachi was on edge. He didn't want Sasuke to leave the house, to be around others, but knew he would never be forgiven if he didn't allow Sasuke to go. 

They left the house late, not wanting to be caught up in the crowds of the early morning. 

“You’re late.”

Kakashi didn't sound angry, at the very least.

He could see the man's nose twitch under his mask and grimace. 

“Are you strong enough?” Kakashi asked, not unkindly. 

Of course, Sasuke took offense. He had changed a lot over the last month. Snapping more often, throwing fits when he couldn't get things right, pouting, shying away from touch and warmth, sleeping in even when he said he would get up early. 

Itachi was trying his best to be patient. 

“Obviously, Kakashi,” Sasuke snapped. “Or else I won't be here.”

Kakashi nodded his head, and started leading Sasuke down the hall, most likely to give him some last minute advice. 

“I’m going to go on up,” Itachi called softly, only to receive two dismissive waves. 

Itachi sighed and went up to the stands. Of course, there were not many seats left. He wasn't all that interested in sitting near his parents either. They would be close to the Hokage and the other clan heads, and he didn't feel much like being near any of them. 

Today was about Sasuke, and Itachi would be giving him all the attention. 

Eventually, he found a seat in the front by a rather short, red haired suna nin. He didn't look like a typical alpha, but he certainly smelled like one. He wasn't doing much to mask his scent, though it was rather pleasant to Itachi. It wasn't as musky as most alphas, but not sweet like an omega either. It was pleasant, clean, and rather natural, the sort that appealed to Itachi. A certain smell came to mind, but he couldn't put a name to it. 

The alpha turned to him when he sat, giving him a small grin matched with lidded eyes. 

“It's a pain to wait, isn't it?”

Itachi was, normally, not one to talk to strangers, but he had a lot of nervous energy at that time, and gave back his own pleasant smile. 

“It can be.” Itachi offered. “I’m quite patient myself.”

The alpha's eyes widened for a moment when their gazes finally met, but they quickly returned to their lazy look. Itachi could feel the alpha look him over, though not in the way that usually made Itachi uncomfortable when others did it. Itachi got the impression this alpha was looking at something that was much deeper than skin. 

“Sasori.” The alpha offered. Distantly, the name rang a bell, but Itachi just nodded. 

“Uchiha Itachi.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rly enjoy writing this, pls comment if you feel like it, id rly like to know what others thought of it so far


	3. Chapter 3

“My grandmother is the fifth Kazekage.” Was Sasori's answer when Itachi had politely asked him why he had come to watch the finals. 

It all clicked into place then. After the fourth Kazekages sudden death, the village had quickly searched for his replacement. It had been decided that his youngest son, the one he named his heir, was too young to step up quite yet, and as one of the oldest, and assumed wisest in the village, Chiyo was decided to take charge during this time of peace, pulled out from her retirement. 

Many Suna nin didn't seem to like it. The place of Kazekage was supposed to remain in the same direct bloodline, but Chiyo, though distantly, had a familiar ancestor as the main family, so it was acceptable. Only if the youngest son took her place as soon as he was ready. 

There had been an upset in most of the hidden villages when the news had reached them. Chiyo had been a headache during the war, and her grandson had been an outright terror, wiping out whole teams like he was flicking dust off his forehead protector. On top of that, he reportedly held a grudge against a certain family in Konoha that was endlessly deep. 

So, this was Sasori of the Red Sand?

He looked much younger than Itachi thought he would. He had a clear, nearly completely wrinkle free face, a headful of shiny, thick red hair, clear and steady eyes, unmarred skin, and an ease in his movements that lacked any stiffness. If he was doing the math right, the man before him was supposedly in his early thirties, even older than Kakashi. 

Sasori smirked easily at him, as if he knew Itachi had already figured it out. 

“You’re quick, aren't you?” Sasori asked, sounding a bit amused. 

“No.” Itachi deflected. 

“Most say that you're a prodigy.” Sasori said, giving away that he very much had heard of Itachi before. 

“Being a prodigy and being a genius...are different.” Itachi pointed out. For some reason, he felt his face warm, even though it was a fairly cool day. 

“Sure. But you’re very intelligent, aren't you?” 

“Are you surprised because I’m an omega?” Itachi shot back. He felt hot under the collar, and wanted to make the situation uncomfortable so the alpha would back off so he could figure out why he felt so warm all of a sudden. 

Sasori just smiled easily at him, that same lazy look on his face. “Who said that?” 

Itachi shifted in his seat, looking down to where Naruto and Hyuuga Neji were starting their fight. 

“Is it hard?” 

The soft question made his neck snap around. “What?”

“Being an omega in your clan?” Sasori asked, not seeming to care that he was asking something well...rude. “I hear the Uchiha are very conservative. In Suna, we don't care much about gender, one way or another.”

“That's-” Itachi puffed up.

“Am I making you mad? That wasn't my intention.” Sasori uncrossed his feet and planted them both on the ground, leaning forward with his face balanced on his crossed hands. “Sorry, I’m not the best at polite conversation.”

Itachi's shoulders relaxed and he sighed, forcing himself to sit back in his seat. He didn't say a word, and the two of them watched the fighting going on below them for a few minutes in silence. It was oddly comfortable, despite the fact the older alpha had been picking on his nerves. 

“You know, I’m not here to watch over the Kazekage, or just come along with her as her grandson. If I had, I’d be sitting over there, feeling bored out of my mind. I’m meant to be watching out for Gaara-sama.” 

Itachi turned to look at him, his hair covering most of his face. Sasori turned his neck, face breaking out into a smile when he saw the confused look on his face. 

“Who are you here for?” Sasori asked. 

Itachi thought about not answering. He was still feeling ruffled about Sasori's questions about his clan, mostly because he had hit the nail right on the head. He wasn't used to people actually showing sympathy for his situation, no matter how slight it was, much less a clear acknowledgment. 

He got the feeling Sasori wasn't supposed to be telling him that about Gaara. It was a sign of trust, he assumed, no matter how blind it was. 

“Perhaps you're just a normal spectator.” Sasori allowed, but the way he was smiling told Itachi he was sure that he wasn't. 

Itachi sighed. 

“My younger brother, Sasuke, is competing today.”

“Sasuke.” Sasori repeated. “Ah, is that the kid who's fighting Gaara-sama?”

“As far as I know, there's no other Sasuke in the village.” 

Cheering surrounded them suddenly, and Itachi's eyes snapped back down to the center, seeing that Naruto had beat the Hyuuga boy. Ah, Sasuke would be displeased. He was sure his brother had wanted to see the young Alpha get aplitterated today. He would be in a bad mood for his own match. 

Itachi hoped Gaara could handle it. He knew he was set in line to be a Kage, but Sasuke wasn't going to make this easy for him. 

They watched in silence as a blonde haired alpha girl, and who Itachi recognized as the Nara heir came forth for their own battle. Well, actually, the Nara heir was more so dumped over the stands by a grinning Naruto. When Itachi saw the Nara heir, he felt a bit of something. He wouldn't say it was jealousy, something more like mild curiosity. If the Uchiha were more like the Nara, would his father let him be the next clan head, even though he was an omega? He remembered that hadn't been a lick of a fuss the day the Nara heir was born from anyone from his clan, that they were all proud of him just for existing, despite his status. 

He remembered when Sasuke was born, and how so many in their clan had looked...disappointed, but too polite to truly say anything about it. He wondered if they had looked the same on the day he was born. 

He was so deep in thought that he missed the whole fight. 

“Temari-sama will probably want to court him one day,” Was what finally brought him back to the present. 

Itachi's head snapped up, looking wide eyed at the alpha, before composing him. “What?”

“The Nara boy won,” Sasori told him, comfortably reclined in his seat. “They’re a little young now, but I’m sure she’ll be interested one day.”

Itachi's head tilted slightly. “What makes you say that?”

“Temari-sama likes an omega that is powerful and can defend themselves.” Sasori looked at him suddenly, eyes bottomless but hiding everything at the same time. “All Suna alphas do.” He smirked and for some reason, a chill ran down Itachi's spine. It wasn't unpleasant. 

Before he could look into all of that too much, the announcement for Gaara and Sasuke's fight was being announced and Itachi quickly turned forward. 

“They're quick about these things. It's nice not to have to wait too long for the next match,” Sasori mused next to him, sounding a bit dreamy, and Itachi hummed in reply, leaning forward in his seat. 

//

To put it plainly, Sasuke was pissed off. 

Why did Neji have to let him down like that? Despite the presence of Kurama, Sasuke was hoping he would wipe the floor with the Hokage's son, especially because he still didn't know how to channel all that extra chakra yet. Or at least he wasn't supposed to be. Last he had heard, his parents were insisting he was still too young to deal with it. 

At the very least, he hoped he’d be getting scolded for it later. 

But he couldn't think of that idiot right now. He had a lot to prove. He needed to win against the Suna nin so he and Naruto could have their battle, the one he would come on top of. 

//

The fight, to put it in a single word, was awkward. Sasuke could not tell if anyone in the stands could sense it. Perhaps they were too far, perhaps all the scents up there were blocking out what was happening down in the pit with them. If anyone noticed, it was either Genma who was not that far, though not in sight at the moment, or Itachi, who, to Sasuke, seemed to be all seeing and all knowing. 

He thought he was going to die from embarrassment when the alphas nose had flared at his scent. He knew it was the heat that lingered on him that had made the alpha react in such a way. 

It made the alpha more vicious, but it also distracted him. Sasuke could tell he had gotten him a bit worked up. It wasn't strong, sharp and sudden as it was, but it was there, and it lingered. Thankfully, the alpha seemed to be ignoring it. 

Things had been looking as if they were going his way. Kakashi had taught him his Chidori before the chunin exams had taken place, giving him more time to practice and perfect it. Itachi did not have a natural affinity for lighting, but he was versed enough that he could watch over Sasuke as he practiced the jutsu handed down to him from his sensei. Getting more practice and having extra advice from Kakashi and Itachi give him their advice, he felt he was able to strengthen it even further if he had had less time to practice. 

When the alpha had started screaming about his blood, Sasuke had thought, just for a second, that it was going to end right then and there. That he had freaked the alpha out or scared him enough that he was going to call off the fight. 

Kakashi would have patted his head and called him a little fool. Then, he was being pushed halfway across the arena. It had happened so fast he didn't even see it, and only caught a glimpse of the hand as it shot back inside of the cracked shield. 

There was a moment of dead silence. Sasuke pulled himself up to his feet, wondering what he should do next. 

When, after a slight pause, a hand shot out of the shield of sand he had worked something or other to form around the alpha, he had nearly passed out from fear. Fear like he had never felt before in his life. He was frozen as fingers as large as tree branches wrapped around his body like he was a doll, curling around him from shoulder to knees, trapping both his arms and his legs, and pulled him towards the hole he had made in the shield. 

When his eyes met...something, something other than the aquamarine gaze that had glared at him from the other side of the arena, as that voice had snapped out at him to , “Come,” And set anger pouring through him, he thought he may pass out from true terror. 

It was then that he remembered there was a tailed beast sealed away in one of the children of the fourth Kazekage, and he realized that not everyone was like Naruto. That there was other jinchuuriki that actually knew what they were doing, that actually knew their bijuu and could work with them. 

“Gaara,” A guttural voice had suddenly come, sending chills down Sasuke's spine, he was sure he was shaking, but he was being held so tight it didnt show. “This one would do well. He’s strong.”

A pause. Everything and everyone was dead silent. 

“Be quiet, Shukaku.”

Then, Sasuke was freed, sent flying across the arena, and the sand was falling away like a fountain, showing nothing underneath but a green eyed alpha, who looked thoroughly pissed off and smelled just like it.

It was only when Sasuke painfully pulled himself back onto his feet and reentered a fighting stance, did the alpha raise his hand and surrender. 

The arena was in chaos. 

//

Itachi had bolted to his feet when Sasuke had been thrown like a ragdoll across the rough terrarian of the battlefield. Sasori watched him, body tense from the appearance of that bone chilling hand. He was no longer smiling. 

He watched with bated breath as Sasuke pulled himself back up, bruises littering nearly every part of his skin that was exposed. His face was swollen on one side, where he had taken the fall, there was blood running down from his lip, where he had most likely bitten by mistake when he hit the ground. 

Still, he had not given in, not surrendered, and Itachi felt both proud of him, and fearful for him. 

Like everyone else, he was blown away when the Alpha had suddenly surrendered and walked away from the fight, only casting Sasuke a lingering look before leaving. 

Itachi looked down at the red haired alpha beside him, and saw him smirking once more. 

“That's interesting.”

Itachi didn't offer a reply, not because he didn't have one, but because Sasuke was suddenly laying face down in the dirt. 

///

Sasuke was, once again, feeling absolutely enraged. For one, Itachi of all people had tried convincing him to not go through with the next match. You can try again next year, Sasuke, his brother had said, and he was so mad he didn't even realize Itachi looked almost tearful. You're hurt, you need to rest.

The pain his body felt then was nothing compared to the pain, the humiliation of his soul Naruto had made him feel though. He made sure to tell Itachi that. He had stubbornly left the medical rooms when the fight between some Suna nin, Gaara’s brother, and some random from some other village had had their fight. 

When he reentered the arena to cheers, Naruto had looked at him like the idiot he was, blue eyes big and worried, and it had done nothing but anger him further. What right did Naruto have to worry for him? He would show him he never had to worry about Sasuke ever again, that Sasuke was not his concern, that he could handle himself, that he needed no alpha, especially not  _ Uzumaki Naruto _ . 

The fight was intense, like everything between him and Naruto always was. Sasuke was already badly injured, Naruto not all that injured from his previous fight with Neji. Still, he gave Naruto a hard time, and had gotten several good hits. He could tell Naruto wasn't giving him his all though, and that just sent him further into a rage. 

Sasuke was beaten down, worn, nearly forced down onto his knees. He was panting, and bleeding from several places, and still, Naruto was looking at him like he had never wanted to lay a hand on him to begin with. He was looking at Sasuke with regret, tears in his eyes, hovering over Sasuke's beaten form like he wanted to cradle him instead of lay another hand on him. 

“Sasuke, I never wanted to hurt you!” 

Never wanted to hurt him? That was all the alpha had ever done to him. 

The whole arena watched with bated breath as those words brought the young omega back to life. One moment Sasuke looked ready to keel over, and the next, he was behind Naruto, Sharingan whirling to life, and Naruto was swung up into the air, Sasuke slamming him down eight feet deep in the dirt. 

Before the omega could jump down after him, Genma held out an arm in front of him, and hopped in after the blonde. The Uzumaki was knocked out cold, most of his limbs bent at odd angles. 

Genma jumped back out. “The match is over. The win goes to Uchiha Sasuke.” 

A scream of delight erupted from the crowds, Itachi nearly hanging over the edge of the stand, only kept in place by Sasori grabbing onto the back of his flak jacket. The rest of the crowd followed after him, though not as extreme as when he had returned to the arena after his fight with Gaara. This was still the Hokage's son after all, and they couldn't look too delighted at his defeat. 

It had certainly been plenty entertaining to watch though. 

Itachi himself would not have been so violent and drawn out about it all, but he knew that this had been his little brother's ultimate goal for the exams, whether he was promoted to chunin in the end or not, and was happy for him. He knew he had wanted to stop him earlier, but now he felt pleased that it was all over with. Now, he thought, Sasuke could move on with his life. He just hoped he didn't want to go after the Hyuuga girl as well. 

///

Itachi took Sasuke into his arms as soon as he saw him. They reunited in front of their parents, as all the competitors that were still conscious had been invited in front of the Kages that still lingered and their guests. He was pleased to find Sasuke did not fight him, despite their spat just an hour ago, and went eagerly into his arms. Perhaps it was because he was so beaten up, and needed to be held and comforted by someone. 

He even got in a little twirl before Sasuke was whining to be released and he set him back down on his feet. Sasori stood at his shoulder, obviously there to keep an eye on Gaara, who was standing a bit away from everyone else, eyes locked on Sasuke. The Hokage must have known about the surveillance, because he didn't mention his presence. 

“Sasuke!”

Itachi turned to see Kakashi approaching, hand raised in the air. Sasuke trotted towards his sensei without pause. 

Itachi felt Sasori stiffen behind him. 

If looks could kill, Kakashi would have been on the ground, blood gushing from every pore. Itachi took a delicate step back, and felt the alphas shoulder shake against his own. Itachi was slightly taller than the older alpha, and could smell his contempt for the silver haired omega before them. 

Right when Itachi was sure he was going to give in and attack, a small, wrinkled hand went down on the Alphas shoulder, and he saw a flash of light purple hair. 

“It's in the past, my child. All must be forgiven.”

Sasori certainly didn't look like he was in the mood to be forgiving. Stiffly, he turned to face Itachi. 

“Itachi,” He bowed quickly, and then left, not even giving Itachi the chance to say goodbye. He could feel his parents watching him, could smell their confusion, their protectiveness, the latter quite surprising him. 

“Sasori…” He muttered, eyes lingering on the open rooftop of the arena, wondering if that was where he had flickered away to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i decided that in this, even tho both kushina and minato lived, naruto still took the name uzumaki because his parents wanted that name to be carried on, just incase anyone was wondering about that. 
> 
> i know this didnt follow the canon chunin exams very much, besides the naruto vs neji, and temari vs shikamaru parts, and im sorry if this wasnt how you saw the fights going, but keep in mind this is an au where a lot of things are different. 
> 
> please let me know your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is p much all sasori x itachi

Itachi went home with Sasuke and his parents, made sure his brother ate, and then made sure he went to bed. He needed his rest, nearly his whole body had been bangaged. The day had been extremely long, Itachi felt like a month had been fit into that single day, and it was not 

As soon as Sasuke was sleeping, he went to find Sasori. 

He was trying to not look too deeply into why. Itachi knew the pains of war as well, and while he knew it was not on the same level, he did not want to leave the other to be in pain on his own. It was clear that the alpha did not have too many people he was close to. Maybe just his grandmother, and the children he had a hand in watching and caring for. 

He sneaked past his parents, not wanting to have to explain himself. He went in and out of the house of his own free will most of the time. If he was needed, his father would send someone to come and fetch him. He knew alphas the same age as him had much more freedom then he did, despite the fact he was just as much as a legal adult. 

Omegas born into the Uchiha clan did not leave their parents home until they married. Part of him worried he would live in the house until both his parents passed away. Then, he would probably have to be tucked into a side room while Shisui and Izumi lived in the master rooms. That, or perhaps they would allow him to live with Sasuke and whoever he took as a mate. An omega living alone, no matter their age, was extremely unsightly. 

He knew he had been cut loose by his parents. They weren't looking for someone for him anymore, he wondered if they ever actually had been. They didn't want him seeing or courting just any alpha off the street, but they also weren't trying to find someone for him. He couldn't say for sure what he felt about that. A part of him hurt that his parents didn't even seem to care whether or not he was alone forever, and another part of him was pleased, because he honestly doubted his parents would select someone he would be interested in. If anything, they’d want him to marry inside the clan, and he had long ago decided he would never do such a thing, not if he could help it. He couldn't say for certain, but he didnt think they were actively looking for Sasuke either. That, or the council had not decided on someone yet, or perhaps they were still arguing about it. 

Itachi did not think too much about marriage or mating anymore. He really did not expect to find a mate and settle down. He knew he had some admirers, but they were becoming less and less as he got older. There was also the fact that too many alphas were too afraid of his father to ever come and ask for permission to court him. 

It wasn't that he was against finding someone. He simply thought he never would. 

///

It was already late, the day gone and the night present. The village was already going quiet, everyone tired from the long, entertaining day. Very few lingered on the streets, and if they did, they did not see Itachi as he passed them. 

He checked the guesthouse for the Suna nin, but Sasori was not there. After that, he was sure there was only one place that the man could be. Sasori didn't seem the type to like to waste time in shops or restaurants, so he passed by the ones that were still open, and headed towards the happenings of the day. 

Itachi found him on the roof of the arena, his legs hanging down from the side. His hair looked amazing against the darkness of the sky. Looking up at him from the ground, Itachi felt like the air had been knocked out of him.. He pushed off the ground and landed about halfway up, and then with one more leap, was crouching next to the alpha. Here, he could see Sasori, the moon and stars bathing them in soft, silver light. 

Sasori tilted his head towards him, his expression impassive. 

"Congratulations to your kid, Itachi."

"Congratulations to yours." 

Sasori grinned. There was a wildness behind his eyes that gave him a chill. The strength of his presence alone almost had Itachi shaking. He didn't show it in his face, but Itachi could smell and feel how worked up he was. He was angry, and in pain, and that made him dangerous. 

He was proud of Sasuke. He had been worried his little brother would not pass, but in the end Sasuke, The Nara boy, Gaara, and his two siblings had all been promoted. His little brother had been bursting with pride, looking just about ready to faint from happiness when his father told him he had done well. Apparently the event from weeks before had been momentarily forgotten. Itachi himself knew that the need for parental approval could often overtake other emotions. Even today he struggled with it, trying to not feel worthless whenever he disappointed either of his parents. 

"Gaara-sama may be disappointed though.” Sasori said, and Itachi could detect the lapse of his scent. He was calming down, and Itachi assumed it was due to the mention of one of his wards. 

“What makes you say that?” Itachi made himself comfortable, and sat, letting his legs dangle over the side. Even though it had been cold earlier 

“I’m sure he wanted to see Sasuke again.” Sasori’s lips were quirked in amusement. “I’m sure he and Shukaku have been discussing him.” 

Itachi frowned a bit at that. He knew that most of the tailed beasts were trained accordingly, and there were rumors that, despite his young age, the jinchuriki of the one tail was impressively connected with his tailed beast. 

Still, that didnt mean he liked a creature talking about his little brother.

“Sasuke is young,” Itachi found himself reminding Sasori. 

“You don't have to worry,” Sasori said soothingly. “I’m sure it’ll be years before Gaara even admits that he likes him. He’s probably telling Shukaku he doesn't, I know they are arguing. Besides,” Sasori's expression was gentle in a way he hadn't seen before. “In the Sand, marriages are not often arranged. If they are, it's only because both parties have personally approved, and I mean personally, not their parents or clans. If Sasuke never feels the same, that will be that.”

Itachi knew the Sands' past was as dirty as any other villages. However, he liked it more and more the more Sasori told him about it. The only unfortunate thing about it was the heat. Itachi had traveled to Wind country several times on missions, and he almost always felt ill from the heat that was the daylight hours. The nights were frigid, but he still preferred it. 

There were always precautions that he could take if he needed to stay there for a lengthy amount of time though. 

Itachi crossed his hanging legs, and it was then he noticed he had gotten a lot closer to Sasori than he had originally been. He hadn't even noticed, but he couldn't bring himself to back away. With every soothing word from the man's mouth, Itachi felt a part of himself wanting to cling. 

Sasori had calmed him more in one day than anyone else besides Sasuke had in his whole life. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Itachi asked the man softly. Sasori looked back at him, his eyes had been silently scanning where the trees kissed the night sky, pools of inky black. 

“About what?” Sasori asked. His voice was rough, and Itachi felt something in him jump. He was scared, but not in a way that made him feel defensive. 

“Kakashi upset you.” Itachi said, making sure he kept his voice steady. “You don't have to say anything, if you want, but I thought that, perhaps, since you’ve been here all this time, that you were upset. I just wanted to…” Itachi trailed off. He was embarrassed. He didn't know why he wanted to comfort the alpha so badly. He wanted to take his mind off of his pain. 

He’s lonely, just like me. Itachi realized that suddenly, and then wondered why he had compared them to each other. Why did it matter at all to him? Lots of people were lonely. 

“His father killed my parents, years ago.” Sasori said, and looked surprised that he had said it. “He just...looks a lot like him.”

Itachi's heart hurt for him. Itachi wanted to say how sorry he was, but he knew that would not be enough. It wouldn't bring his parents back, it wouldnt get rid of the years of trauma and hurt the loss of his parents had led to. It was the kind of wound that truly never healed. 

Itachi was not the best at comforting. The only person he could comfort with ease had always been Sasuke. Sasori was not his relative, he was much older, and something about him had Itachi fluttering and burning. It was very different. 

He looked so hurt and dejected. Itachi wanted to take his pain away, he wanted to be close to him. 

One moment he was looking at the pained expression on Sasori's face, wishing he could make him feel better. The next, he was thigh to thigh with the older man, and their lips were pressed together. Sasori seemed frozen in shock, his lips smooth and quite soft, but unmoving 

Sasori gently cupped the back of his neck, but only to gently lead him away from his mouth. Itachi was flushed, embarrassed, and much too hot. It only increased when he realized he was wet, and smelled like arousal. It made him panic more than anything. He hadn't been effected like this ever since-it couldn't be-

His mind was scrambling. Suddenly, he realized what he had just done. 

He had overstepped. 

“I’m sorry,” He gasped. Tears burned the rims of his eyes, he could feel slick preparing his entrance like there was something to get ready for. He knew Sasori could smell it, based on the way his nose twitched. 

Sasoir just stared at him, still clearly in shock. 

“I didnt...I mean-” Itachi was shaking, and he couldn't arrange his thoughts and feelings fast enough to figure out why. 

“Don't cry,” Was what Sasori finally said, expression relaxing at the corners. 

“I’m not,” Itachi didn't know why the alpha had even said that until he felt a tear running down his cheek. 

Sasori wiped it away for him. “You don't have to be scared, I’m not angry.”

“I’m not scared.” Itachi denied. 

Sasori didn't say a word, just looked at him with twinkling eyes that told Itachi he was slightly amused. He got the same look in his eyes everytime Itachi told him something that was just an outright lie, or wasn't the whole truth. It was like he could see right through him. 

“I’m sorry,” He said again. “You were upset, and all I did was...that.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Sasori told him. “I’m not thinking about it anymore. You certainly took my mind off of it.” 

“You probably think I’m easy,” Itachi said before he could stop himself. Again and again, he couldn't figure out why he was saying any of this, why he was doing any of this. He gave Sasori an apologetic smile that shook a bit at the corners. 

“I don't think that's something to really judge someone on, one way or another.” Sasori told him. “If you’re attracted to someone, there's no shame in wanting to sleep with them. Nor is there shame in not wanting to.” 

Sasori reached out and laid his hand flat over Itachi's collarbones, his fingers brushing against either side of his neck, just for a moment, before they ran down to the hem of his shirt. He stuck two of his fingers underneath it, and ran them over the softness of Itachi's side. Itachi wanted him to touch him further, he wanted to touch him back, but he couldn't, and he wouldn't let himself. A part of him yearned so badly for it. 

“And...how do you feel?” Itachi asked. He knew, suddenly, what answer he really wanted. Sasori could have him right there on the roof if he wanted. Itachi wanted him. He hadn't felt any desire like this towards another person in years. Itachi would let the whole village hear them if Sasori wanted to take what he was offering. 

Sasori met his eyes steadily, his scent did not give anything away. “I think you're beautiful,” His fingers ran over Itachi's clothed hip, and then slowly began to pull away. “And young.” That really wasn't what he had been feeling, it was what he had been thinking, Itachi knew the difference and didn't like the avoidance. 

Itachi held his breath when Sasori leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. He pulled back and gave him an apologetic smile. Itachi let out the breath, it felt painful and heavy. His chest was aching softly, and he didn't understand why. He had just met the alpha today. Had he really gotten so attached already? Was he that desperate? 

“Right.” Itachi made to get up, and Sasori gently pushed him down by the shoulder. 

“Don't get upset.” Sasori told him. 

“I’m not.” Itachi denied, and he didn't truly know if he was or not. In a way he was, and in another way, he wasn't. He didn't feel really surprised by the rejection, but it still made him hurt, like pressing down on a fresh bruise. He knew someone like Sasori would never want someone like him, and still, he had been hoping. 

“I don't want to take advantage,” Sasori told him. 

“I wouldn't mind if you did,” Itachi shot back, and then realized, horrified, that he sounded extremely immature. His face went a bit pink, Sasori didn't comment on it. 

“You should have fun when you're young, without worrying about an old guy like me,” Sasori reached out, and patted his head. 

“You’re not that old.” Itachi said immediately. Sasori just smirked at him. 

“I’m closer to your dad's age than yours,”

“Not by much.” Itachi snapped, suddenly feeling terribly irritated. “Why are you bringing up my father, anyways? You and him have nothing to do with each other.”

Sasori looked a bit amused, but also like he didn't want to poke at the waking jungle cat. “I’m just saying.”

Itachi sighed. He could feel a migraine forming. He was feeling too much in such a short amount of time, he could tell he was losing the control he had over himself. He leaned back on the roof and looked up at the stars, trying to will away his feelings. It had always been easy for him to do. The only feelings he could never stifle down before was how much he cared for his younger brother. Now, there seemed to be someone else who was making his mind a more difficult place. 

“When are you leaving?” Itachi asked. 

Sasori glanced over his shoulder at him. “Early in the morning.” 

“How early?” Itachi asked, pulling his legs up from hanging off the roof. He gently rested the bottom of his feet on the ledge, knees tucked up. 

“Sunrise.” 

“Don't the children need time to heal?” Itachi asked. 

Sasori looked at him with an expression that told Itachi he wanted to laugh but wouldn't let himself. Itachi worried he knew exactly what he had been thinking. 

“They’ll be fine. We’ll go slow anyways. Grandmother hates it here.” Sasori explained. 

“You hate it here too,” Itachi said, looking away from the alpha. 

“There are certain things I like.” Sasori said, so quiet that Itachi felt like he wasn't supposed to hear it. Itachi decided he would pretend that he didn't hear it rather quickly. Even if Sasori was implying what he thought he was, the elder man had already made it clear to him he wasn't interested in actually pursuing a relationship that was either romantic or sexual. 

For now, a part of Itachi that didn't feel like him at all whispered in the corners of his mind. Itachi shook the thought off. 

“Don't you need to go and rest?” Itachi asked softly as he sat back up. Sasori’s eyes looked far away, he came back to answer Itachi's question slowly. Itachi wondered where he had gone, and wished he could follow him. Just for a moment, he remembered the possibility of entering someone else's consciousness-and then feared himself for a second. That was too much. 

“Not really. Eating and sleeping, those things are so annoying.” Sasori seemed to sigh. Itachi almost smiled. He didn't need to go anywhere, it seemed, Sasori was an easy read for him. 

“Those are two of the best things in the world,” Itachi told him with a small smile. Even if the man seemed against it, Itachi felt the urge to push him to appreciate the natural, beautiful things in life. Sleeping and eating were a godsend for many. 

“They both waste so much time.” Sasori said, that distant look returning to his eyes. 

“If you do it with people you like, it doesn't seem like a waste at all.” Itachi said. Itachi almost winced at his words. There was an innuendo in there somewhere, but Sasori either didn't catch it or didn't pay it any mind. 

Sasori glanced over at him carefully, wearing that same serious expression on his face. 

“Maybe if you ever come back one day, we can share a meal together.” Itachi said. Some part of him was holding his breath, wondering what the alpha was going to say to that. He expected to be brushed off again. If anything, itachi wanted the older man's friendship. He wanted to know more and more about him. He wanted to be closer. 

Sasori just gave him his handsome, lazy smile. It made his heart flutter. 

“That would be nice.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly thought about sasuke not passing, but i think that would be too much for him to handle 
> 
> i hope i made it clear how both sasori and itachi feel about one another. i know itachi is kind of obvious, but i wanted to keep sasori much more subtle.
> 
> Pls tell me your thoughts!


	5. Chapter 5

~Five Years Later~ 

Sasuke wished Itachi wouldn't hover. 

They were supposed to be in formation, but Itachi kept moving closer and closer to him. He was leaving holes that he never would have if Sasuke wasn't working with him. 

Sasuke was supposed to join ANBU. Once his dreams of joining the police force had died and withered out when he was still a genin, that had been his goal. He had made that clear to anyone who dared to ask him. He wouldn't follow after that idiot Naruto and become a jounin sensei, or whatever it was he wanted to do. That would be a waste of his skills. He would be like Itachi. 

Then Naruto had to ruin things again, by telling his father that many of the ANBU functions were _inhumane_ and _potentially traumatizing._ That things shouldnt be dealt with by assasination and blood. It was too late to reverse any scarring Kakashi and Itachi had gained, so Sasuke didn't know who he could have been trying to save. 

Itachi was immediately made captain of the Hokage Guard, which was pretty much the same thing, as far as Sasuke was concerned. ANBU guarded the Hokage all the time. The Guard were still running surveillance on the village, they still went out on missions every now and again, though not for intentional bloodshed. 

It wasn't that Sasuke wanted to kill people. It was that the name of ANBU meant something. Being in the Hokage Guard sounded just pathetic, it meant little, it had no history. It wasn't even a renaming of the previous unit, but an all together reforming. Itachi had been the first one to be selected for this new regiment. 

_Captain of the Guard._

It suited Itachi very well. 

“Nii-san, go back to your post.” Sasuke said, not sparing his brother a glance. His gaze remained on the subject of their mission purpose. 

“I’m at my post.” Itachi argued. 

“You’re not.”

“Are.”

“Are not.”

“Are.” 

“You two,” Minato smiled up from his desk. “Are so unlike your father, it's amusing.” 

“What do you mean, Dad?” Naruto moaned from where he was laying over a chair in the corner of the Hokage's office. “Sasuke has that same grumpy face.”

Sasuke ignored him. He could hear Itachi tittering behind his hair. Sasuke resisted the urge to pull on it. 

“I can't wait to see Gaara,” Naruto moaned when he did not receive a response for his troubles. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked away from the imbecile. He just wanted his shift to be over already so he didn't have to hear any more of this tedious wedding planning. They had had five years to plan Naruto and Hinata's wedding, and somehow they still weren't finished. The other Kages would be arriving in just a few short days, and they were still curling up the ends. 

Naruto and Gaara had a strange friendship. Tensions had been high after the chunin exams, for whatever reason. Sasuke had brushed it off as two stupid alphas who were just butting heads against one another since they were too intimated by him. Then, suddenly, they had become extremely close, despite Gaara’s odd personality, as some people called it. Sasuke had heard Naruto around the village calling Gaara his best friend. 

Idiot. Didn't he know not everyone in the world could be his friend?

“Speaking of Gaara,” Minato said, grabbing a folder from the corner of his desk. “Itachi, you’ll be working with all the Kage’s guards, but especially Gaara’s, since they’ll be with us the longest. I finally got the information of who will be coming with him.”

Itachi nodded and walked to the edge of the desk. Sasuke glanced out the window, resisting the urge to sigh. It was a beautiful day, which meant very little to him. All he wanted was to go home, take a bath, and then let his body sink into the coolness of his bedsheets. Then wake in the early night and have Itachi feed him something. Then go back to bed. 

Maybe he was depressed. 

Nothing mattered too much anymore. Everything was boring, he didn't know what he was doing anymore. All he did was work, train, follow Itachi around, eat, and sleep. Rinse and repeat. Konoha was supposed to be his home but so often it felt like there was nothing for it to offer him. 

Sasuke no longer felt the ambition of his youth. Back then, he would have joined the force, retired when he married Naruto, gave Naruto some babies because he loved them, been the Hokages husband once Naruto took over, and played his part in the village. It had sounded so childish, but it had been what he had really wanted. He had had so many plans on how he would help Naruto improve the village. 

Konoha really didn't need a long distance underground water system though. 

Perhaps he should have gone into construction. That, at least, seemed much less boring than standing around the Hokage's office for hours on end. 

Why didn't he date?

Everytime he was asked that, he got annoyed. He was the laughing stock of the village for years. The poor little omega who got his heart broken by the Hokage's son and then beat him up at the chunin exams. He didn't want some pity arrangement. 

Besides, Sasuke wanted, no, needed, a strong husband who could spar with him when he wanted, at the very least. If he had pretty eyes and liked animals, well, then that would just be a few added bonuses. If he wanted children, but not too many, maybe two or three, then that would be good as well. 

“Itachi?”

Sasuke’s eyes snapped to his brother. Itachi was about halfway through the profiles in the folder, said folder slump in his hands, one side completely released and some of the profiles starting to slip out. 

Itachi gathered himself and collected all the papers back together. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. 

He would be asking about that later. 

When Itachi returned to Sasukes side, he was as white as a sheet. So pale that his dark eyes and hair contrasted against his complexion even more than usual. 

Sasuke glanced over at his brother for the rest of their shift, but did not ask. There were too many curious eyes and ears that belonged to noisy brats around. 

Itachi’s movements were heavy on the way to the locker rooms. His tread was deeper than it usually was. Sasuke quickly shucked off his clothes and took a shower, even though there was no sweat to rinse off. Itachi went into the cubicle next to him and washed his hair in silence. Usually Itachi would make conversation and tease him about their day as they cleaned off and went home, but today he was silent. 

His eyes told Sasuke he was far off somewhere Sasuke couldn't follow him. 

Sasuke would wait to corner him at home. Wait until Itachi was resting in bed before he jumped in with him and forced his older brother to reveal his heart to him. Sasuke had never shared his own feelings easily, not since he was young, at least, but that didn't mean he wanted Itachi to suffer in silence. 

They did not get past the threshold before a problem made itself eminent. 

“‘Tachi!” 

Itachi stiffened himself as a little body slammed right into his calves. A delighted squeal erupted as Itachi caught the pup by their arm and stopped them from landing on their bottom. 

“Reo! Don't bother Itachi!” A haggled looking Shisui came running around the corner. Reo whined and clung to Itachi's knees. 

“Want ‘Tachi!” 

Sasuke had been worried when Shisui and Izumi had their first child. It had been years, and Sasuke told himself he was mostly over it, but Naruto and Hinata’s closely approaching wedding still stung him. Itachi had not talked about it, or mentioned it, for years now, but he worried Itachi would feel hurt by seeing them have a child. Itachi loved children, he had always wanted a big family when he was young. Itachi had not mentioned mating or settling down for quite some time, but Sasuke still felt miffed that Itachi seemed no closer to getting the family he had always wanted.

He had brought it up with Itachi a couple years before. Itachi had just shook his lowered head, and his smile was painful when he said, “The only person I want doesnt want me back. It would be pointless to make a family with someone I don't want to be with.”

Sasuke had understood, so he didn't push.He had his own criteria for a mate and husband. If someone didn't meet those requirements, or at least attempt to, what was the point?

He just wished his poor brother could get over Izumi. It has been over a decade now. 

Kakashi had told him before, that sometimes Omegas latch onto a certain Alpha and they can't get over them. To the omega, that alpha is their ideal mate, whether the alpha returns that sentiment or not, so they wouldn't-or rather, couldn't, be with anyone else. There were Omegas who lived and died all alone, all because they couldn't have what they wanted.

Sasuke really hoped that wasn't the case for Itachi. He wished that wasn't the case for him with Naruto either. He didn't think it was, but the fact he hadn't found any other alpha he liked was beginning to worry him. 

“Itachi just got off work, let him rest,” Shisui nearly whined at his son, who was clinging to Itachi like he was his mother. 

Itachi’s lips quirked for the first time in hours, and he gently lifted Reo up into his arms. The toddler squealed in delight and clung onto him, one little hand grabbing onto his hair. Itachi gently pulled it from his fingers, only for it to be grabbed again. It was a game they always played. Reo had only pulled Itachi's hair for real once, and Itachi's yell of shock had been so jarring the pup never dared to do it again. 

“It’s fine, Shisui.”

“Tachi eat!” 

“Your mom made dinner.” Shisui smiled at Itachi hesitantly.

Even after so long, their relationship was still rocky. In more recent years, they had slowly become more pleasant with one another. Sasuke didn't think it was enough to say they were rekindling their old friendship, but it was something. Sasuke could still hardly bear to be in the same room as Hinata any longer than he needed to be. So the fact Itachi could live in the same house as Shisui, and hold and play with a child that had come from a relationship that had only caused him pain was impressive to Sasuke. 

“Eat ‘Tachi!” Reo demanded. 

Itachi nodded. “Yes, yes, we’re coming.” 

The pup beamed and then leaned over Itachi's shoulder to hold out a hand to Sasuke. Sasuke accepted it and walked in a huddled mess through the house to the dining room. 

Sasuke was surprised to find his father already there. The times where he beat them home were extremely rare. So rare it had only ever happened a handful of times throughout his entire life. 

Mikoto was setting the table, and talking with Izumi, who perked up when Shisui and then the rest of them followed through the threshold. Reo whined and leaned forward. When itachi went to let him down, he whined even louder and went back to clinging.

Itachi sighed and went to sit next to Izumi so Reo could sit in between them. Shisui made a halfhearted protest that Reo ignored with a mouthful of happy babbling. Sasuke frowned and quickly took the next nearest seat to Itachi. Shisui sighed and relented when Mikoto took the last available seat next to Izumi and sat between Sasuke and his father at the round table. 

“How were your rounds?” Mikoto asked her sons with a gentle smile after they had all begun to eat. 

“Fine.” Sasuke said. He had nothing else to say. It had all been the same for the last few weeks. 

“They were quite pleasant, Mother.” Itachi agreed softly. Sasuke shot him a look, but Itachi looked back to his usual self, for the most part. He was eating a bit slower than normal, bringing less and less food to his mouth with every movement. Reo had released him momentarily and now sat as Izumi fed him a few bites of carefully selected food. 

“The Kages will be arriving in a few days time,” Fugaku began suddenly. His eyes laid on his sons and sharpened. “Are you both prepared?” 

They both nodded. Itachi was giving Fugaku his full attention, but Sasuke was more concentrated on his food. His mother's braised tomatoes were a favorite of his, and he really didn't need a lecture from his father. He was already plenty capable. 

“We are all ready for their arrival, Father.” Itachi reassured him. “For the Kages visit over the wedding period, and for Gaara-sama’s extended stay as well.” He tilted his head. 

“We were not informed as to why he was staying.” Sasuke interrupted in case his father decided he wanted to interrogate Itachi. Fugaku worked closely with Minato, and their wives were friends, there was no tension there, but Fugaku always seemed to want to over insert himself in his son's work. 

“I already know why he is.” Fugaku told him, looking unruffled by Sasuke's attitude. 

Sasuke and Itachi shared a look. They had not heard anything, even though they were nearly always in or around the Hokage's office during the day. They had not been mingling in the village much as of late, and that was the home of the rumor mill, so that might have been why. Minato always seemed busy with wedding plans recently. 

“The Kazekage is looking for a mate.” Izumi said as she rubbed Reo’s back. Reo kicked his legs back and forth and wiggled so that he was half in Izumi's lap and half in Itachi’s. Itachi put a hand on his head, eyes concentrated on their father.

Did it hurt Itachi? To have a baby laying between him and Izumi that he had no part in making?

“In Konoha?” Itachi asked. Sasuke couldn't tell if he was surprised by this or not. He thought he saw Itachi's lip quirk in amusement, just for a second, but when he looked again it was gone. 

“From what we are hearing.” Fugaku relented. 

“Why would he be looking here?” Sasuke asked. There were not many in his age range that were left unmated or unarranged to be mated one day. Unless he was thinking much older, or younger. Sasuke's nose wrinkled at the thought. Gaara had never seemed like a creep to him before. At least not in that regard. 

“To strengthen the relationship between the villages, most likely.” Fugaku said, as if it should have been obvious. 

“Others say that he has someone particular in mind,” Shisui's eyes glittered with interest. He always did have an excitement for gossip. 

“Is that so?” No one could miss the smile Itachi suddenly gave. 

Sasuke really needed to talk to him. Itachi was acting all sorts of odd today. 

“Maybe Sakura-chan?” Izumi offered. 

“He wants an Omega, I hear.” Shisui shook his head. Things had been a bit awkward between the two of them when they first got engaged, but now, no one could deny the chemistry between them, the genuine connection and love they had for one another. Sasuke cursed them both for it, and looked to Itachi. He was surprised to find him still looking amused and engaged. The sadness and depth from earlier in the day was gone. 

Mikotos light laughter suddenly interrupted the gossip. “Isn't that enough of talking about others' business?”

They all quieted and Reo inserted himself into Itachi's lap for the rest of their meal. 

///

“Itachi.”

Itachi moaned softly as he raised his head from his pillow. Moonlight trickled into the room and played against the walls as Sasuke stood above his brother's bed. 

“What is it, Sasuke?” Itachi mumbled, brushing his hair out of his face. “Nightmare?”

Sasuke opened his mouth to defend himself, but Itachi looked genuinely concerned. He didn't look awake enough to be teasing him. 

“No.” Sasuke moved closer. “Move over.”

Itachi rolled so he laid against the wall and pulled up the comforter, giving Sasuke room to slide in. 

Itachi laid back down as soon as he was in, probably assuming that would be that, and they would both go right back to sleep. This was the best time to ask Itachi questions that he wanted real answers to. He had figured that out when he was still just a child. 

“Itachi.”

“Yes, Sasuke?” Itachi called back softly. 

“Why were you upset earlier?” 

Itachi's eyes snapped open. The sleepiness that had fogged his mind was now gone. Sasuke cursed himself, he should have laid into it slower, let him fall asleep a bit more before he asked. 

“I wasn't.” Itachi whispered back. 

“You dropped the Hokages things, and then you didnt talk to me on the way home.” Sasuke pointed out. 

“I thought you never liked when I talked to you in the showers.” 

“I don't, because you’re a weirdo. But I notice when something is wrong with you.”

Itachi sighed, and moved a little closer to him. 

“It’s nothing, Sasuke. I just have a lot on my mind. Since we’ll be working so much together to keep the Kages safe, I was worrying about making sure everyone got along.” 

Before Sasuke could press any further, Itachi laid his head on top of Sasukes and slung an arm around him. 

“Now sleep, or I’ll kick you out.” 

“You would never.” 

Itachi just laughed, and did not argue.

//

The day of Gaara’s arrival came quicker than he had expected. Coming first and leaving last. While the rest of the Kage would be present for just a few days, Gaara would be staying much longer. There were measures taken so if anything happened at home, he would find out quickly, and could leave at a moment's notice. 

Sasuke now understood why he was staying for such an extended amount of time. He had thought it foolish at first, but finding a mate and then making a proper arrangement with a family would take some time. 

It was early morning, most of the village still in their slumber when he, Itachi, Minato, Kushina and Naruto all waited by the entrance of the village. Sasuke could hear them approaching in the distance, though it was faint. They weren't trying to be silent, though they were definitely keeping their movements quieted. 

Sasuke and Itachi usually worked their shifts together, and they usually didn't work so early in the morning. Minato had asked for them specifically, for whatever reason. Despite the early hour, Itachi looked wide awake, not a hair out of place. 

Gaara appeared first, a smile stretching onto his face as soon as he saw Naruto standing between his parents, rubbing at his eyes. 

“Gaara!” Naruto yelled, and ran forwards to wrap Gaara up in a hug. The other alpha looked as stiff as could be, but an awkward smile pulled up onto his face. Sasuke remembered kids poking fun at Gaara’s appearance at the chunin exams. He could never see why. Even with the black markings around his eyes, he was quite handsome. If anything, they added to his looks, it was endearing. 

Sasuke looked away from Gaara when he heard a soft noise come from Itachi. His brother was staring at Gaara’s freshly arrived group. His brother and sister, and a handful of guards. Sasuke recognized one of them to be a man he had seen Itachi speak to during the chunin exams. Sasori of the Red Sand, so they said. The man was supposedly pushing forty, but he looked incredibly, unfairly young. He didn't see a single gray in that mop of rose hair, his face was nearly blemishless. 

Sasuke glanced back at Itachi. His brother was looking at the man, and just for a moment, Sasuke saw a flood of varying emotions flash across his eyes, so fast he could barely identify any of them, before his mask was back in place. 

“Hello, Sasuke.”

Sasuke had spent time with Gaara since the chunin exams. Both before and after he had become Kazekage. He had even been on joint missions together. Still, he didn't think Gaara would be so quick to greet him. There were certainly people in Konoha he was closer to than him. 

Sasuke nodded. “Gaara-sama.” 

An unreadable expression crossed Gaara’s face. Naruto swung an arm around Gaara and pulled him away before Sasuke could try and identify it. 

“Leave Sasuke alone, Gaara. He’s a real drag when he’s working.”

“A drag.” Gaara repeated, smiling slightly. “You sound like-” Gaara shot a look at Temari, who scowled and turned away. 

Minato was watching all of it happen with a smile. 

“Naruto, Gaara just arrived, dont overwhelm him. Would you like to come to my office, or to your rooms so you can rest?”

“The office is fine.” Gaara insisted. Minato nodded, and then cast a look sideways. 

“Itachi.”

Itachi was slow to react. No one else noticed, but Sasuke definitely did. Itachi’s eyes snapped up from the dusty road to his Hokage’s face a few seconds too slow. 

“Yes, sir?” 

“You and Sasuke bring our guests to their guest house. You’ll have a meeting after they get settled in, yes? Naruto can watch us for now.”

Itachi nodded. “Understood, Hokage-sama.” 

Without sparing their guests another look, Itachi turned and called for them to follow him. Sasuke followed after him. When he looked back at their guests when they were coming up on the street where their temporary homes would be while they were here, the alpha was watching Itachi's back.

He didn't like it. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know the time jump was probably unexpected. it was actually originally going to take place much sooner, but i decided to add more about sasori/itachi and gaara/sasuke meetings and what their original feelings towards one another were. 
> 
> also, i hope i made it clear the person itachi was talking about was sasori when he said there was someone he couldnt get over. sasuke thinks its izumi bc itachi never told him about his feelings for sasori. 
> 
> i'm considering a few options already, but please tell me how you feel sasori and itachis reunion-the proper one, where they actually talk-should go. there are a lot of hurt feelings there, so im trying to do it carefully and wanted to hear opinions. or if you just want to leave a few words about whatever, bc its rly aprechiated and helps me stay motivated


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry there was a bit of a wait~ i was shuffling through several ideas on how i wanted to handle this chapter. i eventually decided on this~ i hope you all like it 
> 
> POSSIBLE TW: depending on where you live, there could be what you may consider as underage drinking in this chapter. i dont think its ever confirmed exactly in the naruto verse what the legal drinking age is, but i think its between 18-20. for the sake of this fic lets just say 18. still, sasuke mentions that he drank on several occasions before he was of age with itachi, so be aware of that. 
> 
> sasuke is very, very drunk for most of this chapter.

Anyone in the five nations could tell you an Uchihas beauty is unparalleled. There was something ethereal about them that no one could deny. 

Sasori was no different. He could see the appeal of an Uchiha like anyone else. Silky, soft hair no matter the color, bottomless obsidian eyes that shone like the sky on a clear night, smooth fair skin, and no one had ever met an Uchiha that didn't smell like heaven. 

He had laid with a fair amount of people in his time. It was one of the few things that caught his attention long enough for him to leave his work. It came with the added premise of being nearly four decades old. He had lived through a couple of wars, and fucking always felt best after a battle. 

The Uchihas weren't the only beauties in all the lands, let alone just the five main nations. There were even plenty of other beauties in Konoha, like the Hyuugas. Sasori wouldnt say he was the shallow sort, especially while choosing someone to fuck once. He had taken a number of people of different looks to bed. Men and women, alpha, beta and omega, of various heights, skin tones and body shapes. 

Itachi was a whole other level of alluring. 

He had looks that Sasori was sure would last forever. An eternal beauty. 

Some of the guests seemed to think so too. 

Sasori could hear them even from where he stood against the wall, where he was watching the guests enter and settle into the room to watch the ceremony. 

“Did you see the Uchihas?” An alpha with mismatched colored hair right down the middle asked his group of friends. He had the crest of one of the main Iwa clans on his back. Everyone from his little group seemed to be from famous clans, all from different villages. 

One of them moaned in appreciation. Two of them had wedding rings on their fingers and looked just as into it as the rest of their friends. 

“I like the younger one,” One of the married ones said, and Sasori's nose wrinkled. They felt comfortable enough to talk about them, but didnt even bother learning their names. “His legs go on forever.” 

“No,” Another one disagreed, in a lower voice. The room was currently loud, and it appeared only Sasori had the misfortune of hearing this group banter and gossip. “The older one. He’s got a great ass.” 

The Iwakagure alpha crooned in delight. “I know, he was walking in front of me the other day and-”

Yes, the villages looked like they would be left in very fine hands one day, Sasori’s inner voice drowned in sarcasm. 

“I bet the younger one got nice and loose after Uzumaki broke his heart. You think he’d let me hit?” This question came from the other married one, and Sasori’s lip drew back in distaste. 

“No,” The smirking Hyuuga amongst them said. “He’s got a pole up his ass.” 

“I can put something else up his ass for him.” 

“Now the older one,” That same Hyuuga continued. “He's real docile when he’s not at work. He’s dying for attention, I bet. No one has shown him any interest in years.” 

“He’s got a scary daddy,” A pompous brat from Kumo laughed. “No one wants to court _that_ seriously. Too much work. But damn, what I wouldn't give to have one taste of that p-”

“Mah, a taste of what? Let me hear it, I might want some too.” 

The gaggle of scumbags all froze at the sudden shadow that loomed over them. 

Sasori had gotten the pleasure of watching the silver haired omega pop out from thin air and get the jump on what he knew were supposed to be five fine jonin from respectable, big name clans. Alphas that were supposed to maintain a certain reputation, especially to other ninja from other respected clans. The Hatake were extremely few, but everyone knew Kakashi, and the relationship he had with the Hokage. 

“Cake?” Kakashi offered, the tilt in his voice telling he knew exactly what they were really talking about. “Now, now, you have to wait like everyone else.”

“No, you’ve got it all wrong, Kakashi.” 

Sasori could see the chill run down their spines. They all twisted away with flickering fear on their faces to meet the smirk of the alpha that was sitting right on the back of one of their chairs, light as a feather. The one that was sitting in the chair looked like he was going to soil himself. 

“Didn't you hear them right? They want an Uchiha.” Obito smiled innocently. “I’m sorry, but my little cousins aren’t up for grabs.” His smile melted away, leaving behind nothing but a dangerous red eye, a promise to lead them into their darkest fears. “What about a piece of me instead?” 

They were trembling like leaves on a half naked tree during an autumn hurricane. 

Sasori’s lip quirked as he silently walked away to leave them to it. 

//

The sake Obito’s grandmother used to make was much better than this stuff. 

He didn't know if it would have been better or worse if he made himself go to the wedding as a guest, instead of as a guard. 

It had been a distraction, at least. 

Instead of watching Hinata and Naruto at the altar, Sasuke wandered around the perimeter of the building with Itachi and the rest of the guards on duty. He didn't have to watch the ceremony, he didnt have to watch them stare lovingly at one another, he didn't have to watch their parents watch them with pride and adoration in their eyes. He was safe outside, with his heavy heart. 

Naruto had been upset. 

“What do you mean you aren't going to be at my wedding?” Naruto had whined when he found out, trying and failing to grab onto Sasuke's arm. 

“I _am_ going to be at your wedding,” Sasuke said. “Just not as a guest.” His shift was only half the day, so he was welcomed to attend once it was over, but he didn't mention that. He hadn't been sure if he was going to go. 

The morning of the wedding, his mother had decided for him. He had woken up and found clothes set out that were definitely not meant for his guard duty, much too formal and layered, not to mention finely made. He supposed he shouldn't have been shocked. His parents would have never let him just not go to the Hokages son's wedding. 

“Doesn't it mean more that I’ll be protecting you on your special day?” Sasuke finally interjected Naruto's whining. 

Naruto pouted. “No~ I wanted you to actually be with me.”

What the hell was that supposed to mean? 

“You don't need me,” Sasuke rolled his eyes, getting up from his seat and walking out of the stall. He heard Naruto chirping out a quick goodbye and slamming down some money before he came chasing after him. 

Naruto came up and wrapped an arm around him. This time, he didn't step away fast enough. 

“Of course I need you, Sasuke.” 

Sasuke elbowed him in the stomach to get him off and hurried ahead. He didnt get too far before Naruto caught back up with him. 

“Hey, where are you going?” 

“Home.” Sasuke rolled his eyes. What else was in this direction besides the prison and the compound and the forest, where the hell did Naruto think he was going?

“I thought we were going to spend the day together.”

“Who the hell said that?” 

“I did!” 

“Why do you even want to be with me?” Sasuke sighed. “Shouldn't you be with your wife right now? The wedding is in a couple of days.” 

“We’re gonna spend the rest of our lives together, we can be apart a bit longer.” Naruto attempted to wrap an arm around him and this time Sasuke was both too slow and too tired to avoid him or shove him off. “Hinata understands our relationship.” 

I wish _I_ understood our relationship. Sasuke didn't let himself say that though. 

“What relationship?” 

Naruto looked hurt. “What do you mean? We’re brothers.” 

Sasuke stopped walking in the middle of the street, and fixed Naruto with a glare. “Itachi is my brother. My only brother.” 

“S-Sasuke-” Naruto looked so stupidly devastated, like Sasuke had just told him to go jump off a bridge or something. Maybe he should, maybe then Naruto might catch a clue. Everytime he thought they were doing better, Naruto always had to do something to reopen his wounds. 

Sasuke had flickered home, and he hadn't seen Naruto since. 

He had avoided him all day long. He knew as soon as his shift was over he should have gone and congratulated them, but he didn't think he could stand it. He had taken a couple steps inside, seen them in their wedding closed, and immediately gone to take one of the tables outside. 

Sasuke took another long, deep sip. It wasn't as good as Obitos grandmothers, he thought again. She had died a few years ago, but his parents still had plenty of bottles she had gifted them. He had stolen a couple over the years, sparsely so his parents wouldn't notice. As long as he did it under Itachi's watch and gave him a few cups as compensation, he never told their parents. 

It wasn't the best habit, but it wasn't like he drank very often. He was no Tsunade. 

It had been easy enough to take a few bottles. Everyone else inside was being served, but Sasuke didn't need that. He didn't care if his parents yelled at him whenever he eventually went home, if Kakashi scolded him, if Sakura told him he was a bad friend, if Hokage-sama gave him a disappointed look later, if Naruto cried because he didn't show up, he didn't care. 

Itachi had gotten off shift a bit before him, and had gone to change his clothes. He was probably already mingling, stealing the spotlight from Hinata with his easy beauty, no matter how much his simple black silks compared to her beautiful wedding kimono. Itachi couldn't help it, eyes just naturally went to him. Hopefully, it would distract him for the rest of the night that he would even notice Sasuke had never really shown up. He had changed, made a brief appearance, stolen the bottles, and that was that. 

Sasuke popped open another bottle, and thought of ways he should get over this once and for all. He felt miserable, and it was so pathetic. He was pathetic, even after all these years people remembered and laughed at him. 

Maybe he should just take some random alpha to bed and get pregnant, then his parents would rush to marry him off, pay off whatever alpha it was to marry him before the baby was born and he brought shame to the clan. 

He had all this criteria for an alpha, but where had that gotten him? Sitting outside in a sprinkle, drunk off his ass, upset over someone who had rejected him five years ago who had just gotten married. 

As long as whoever he ended up with let him continue being a ninja, that would be good enough. Maybe not even that. If they let him see Itachi whenever he wanted and were nice to his parents, that might be enough. 

“Sasuke, Naruto was looking for you.”

It took Sasuke a moment to register that the voice was not coming from inside his own head, and stopped trying to look down the neck of his sake bottle. 

Gaara was standing there in front of him, without an umbrella, letting the light rain fall down on him. It barely rained in the desert. Maybe it felt as nice to him as it did to Sasuke. He had always loved the rain. 

But why had Gaara come? Gaara was Kazekage. He shouldn't be let out by himself, should he? 

“I don't want to see Naruto.” He pouted. Whatever. He wasn't on duty right now, it wasn't his problem. 

“Oh.” Gaara breathed. His sea green eyes went down to the table, took in the empty bottles of sake, one of them rolled over on its side. None of the bottles were very small, enough to serve a few tables for at least an hour. 

“How much did you drink?” Gaara asked, voice raised in pitch from worry. 

“Come sit with me,” Sasuke didn't think twice in pulling out the chair next to him and patting it roughtly. 

Gaara looked unsure for a second, but then went to follow his command. That's what it had been. He had been very demanding. 

“Gaara,” Sasuke suddenly began. “Who is prettier? The Uchiha or the Hyuuga?” 

The alpha stared at him with wide eyes. “Um-”

“Friends can talk about that thing, right? Just tell me your honest opinion.”

Sasuke really _was_ drunk. He doubted Sasuke had ever called anyone his friend, let alone him. 

“Do you prefer a Hyuuga like Naruto does?” Sasuke's eyes had suddenly darkened, his drunken little smile gone from his face. If he wasn't being so talkative, Gaara might think he had magically become sober. 

The question made his heart hurt. He wasn't sure how much he should say right now. He had suspected-no, worried that Sasuke might still have feelings for Naruto, even after all this time, but never thought it would still affect him this badly. 

“Do you want to find out?” 

“What?”

Sasuke leaned close to him, his pale fingers reached out and brushed against his fingers. 

Then, Sasuke said the very last thing Gaara thought he would hear from the Uchiha today, or really any day for that matter. 

“Do you want to fuck me? Then you can tell me what you think.” 

Gaara’s brain went dead. 

_Forget everything, Gaara, lets just fuck him now._

_Shut up, Shukaku!_

_He’s asking us for it._

_He’s not asking you anything. He’s asking me._

_Claim him. You're the Kazekage, no one is going to fight you on it._

_He’s drunk! I can't do that to him. He’s still upset about Naruto._

_Who cares about that fox brat? Just take what's yours._

_He’s not mine yet. Nothing has been arranged._

By the time Gaara had beat Shukaku back into the corner he belonged in, Sasuke had left his chair and had straddled Gaara's lap. He was just thinking of how surprised he was that his sand had not reacted at all, when Sasuke leaned down and kissed him. 

He was pretty sure he had died at some point, and was either in heaven, or had gone down to some extremely strange version of hell. 

_This is reality._

_Didn't I tell you to be quiet, Shukaku?_

Gaara forced himself to pull back, and caught Sasuke around the wrists in as gentle a hold as he could manage. Sasuke was staring at him, eyes so vulnerable it made him feel like someone had shoved a knife in his gut and twisted it around. They were so open, so beautiful. Everyone obsessed over the sharingan, but what truly made an Uchiha's eyes so beautiful was their endless black depths. 

Sasuke slumped back, his face crumbling. 

“I’m not even worthy of being a Kage’s whore, let alone be their wife.” 

Before Gaara could say a word to that, and there was so much he wanted to say to that, even though so many things were making him wait to say them, Sasuke had grabbed the bottle of sake up from the table and was stumbling off. Gaara hurried to catch up with him. 

It was dark, with most of the village at the wedding reception or at home in bed, but there could always be danger. Everywhere off the main street was closed and casted in shadows, and there were too many unmated, unwatched alphas around. 

Sasuke was drunk. There were too many bad things that could happen. 

Gaara panicked when he rounded the corner and couldn't spot Sasuke right away. The clacking of his silk mules was just up ahead, and he hurried to catch up with him. 

He found him wobbling over a short stone bridge, and reached out with his sand to wrap around his waist, keeping him steady and on two feet until he reached him personally. Sasuke didn't look bothered by having it touch him like most people did. 

Just as he reached him, Sasuke suddenly started retching and stuck his head over the side of the bridge, vomiting loudly and messily down into the water below. Gaara hesitated, but eventually placed a hand on Sasuke's back. 

Instead of shying away, Sasuke leaned back into it. The Kage quickly stuck his free hand into his pockets, looking for the handkerchief he was sure that he had slid in somewhere. 

It was one of his finier ones. Luxuries such as fine silks were rare even for Gaara to have in the Suna, but this had been one of about a dozen he had received as a gift from a foreign nation, and was something he treasured. 

He handed it over without pause, letting Sasuke take it to clean off his mouth once he was done. 

“Sorry,” Sasuke whispered, voice strained. 

“It's fine.” 

“Gaara.”

Gaara whirled around, coming face to face with Sasori. He let out a relieved breath, and called back his sand from where it had wound its way around the other alphas neck. Sasori hadn't even flinched when it grabbed him. 

“What happened?”

“He’s just not feeling well.” Gaara turned back to Sasuke, who was swaying back and forth, a far off look in his eye. “We should take him home.” He held out his hands as if he was going to steady Sasuke, but something stopped him. 

He had already touched too much. 

“What's wrong with him?” Sasori asked, peeking around Gaara’s slightly bigger frame. Gaara avoided looking at him. He knew he had a pretty expressionless face, but this was Sasuke, and he didn't want to let on that something had happened between them. His lips were still burning like a hot iron. 

“He drank too much.” Gaara watched as Sasuke tilted his head back, but he was just looking up at the sky, eyes wide and curious. He looked so-

“Sasuke?”

Gaara was really tired of getting sneaked up on. He was ready to call his sand back from wherever it had latched onto Itachi, but Itachi was already brushing past them, and his sand was wound tightly around Sasori's wrist in a bruising grip. Gaara quickly released him. 

Sasuke straightened up and threw his arms around Itachi's shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. A smile as radiant as the night sky above them crossed Sasuke's face. 

“Itachi!” 

Sasuke rubbed their cheeks together, and Itachi wrapped his arms around his brother, looking relieved. 

“Have you been drinking?”’ He sounded amused. Sasuke was always an entertaining drunk. He always did something different. It wasn't always funny, but it was always entertaining in some regard. His mood could change from one second to the next, and he had cried all over Itachi as many times as he had made them both laugh so hard that they both got sick. 

Sasuke hummed in affirmation. “But it made my stomach hurt.” 

“Okay.”

“So then I threw up.”

“Okay.”

“Gaara rubbed my back for me.” 

A smile. “Thats nice.” 

“Now I feel better.” 

“That's good.”

“But I’m still drunk, I think.”

“You’re definitely still drunk.” Itachi swept his hair out of his face gently, not able to hold back a breath of a laugh. Sasuke held onto him tighter, and then suddenly, he got very quiet, and stepped back away from Itachi. 

“Are you okay?” Itachi asked him, and then his eyes flashed towards the two alphas suspiciously. 

“I hate Naruto.”

Sasuke leaned against the bridge wall and slid down it, ending up on the floor with his legs tucked up and his arms secured around his knees. His face was now shadowed behind his hair, voice quickly turning depressed. 

“You don't hate Naruto.” Itachi shook his head, and kneeled down with him. “You just still love him sometimes.”

“I don't!” Sasuke refused. None of them flinched at the sudden yell of denial. He looked desperate for Itachi to take those words back, eyes flickering around. 

“I just don't want to go to the wedding. I don't care if Papa yells at me.” Sasuke had not called his father that since he was a child. The old endearing name only came out when he was drunk, and funnily enough, Itachi was the same. 

“You don't have to go.” Itachi assured him. “Don't worry. I’ll handle Father. Besides, I doubt you’d be very good company right now.” 

Sasuke laughed at that for a moment, and then sobered back up. He became very serious, and seeing this, so did Itachi. 

Sasuke nudged closer to his brother. “Itachi,” He started. “I did something bad.” He said this very matter of factly. 

“What did you do?” Itachi didn't look worried. 

Gaara looked between the two of them, wondering if he should interrupt. 

“I acted like a big slut, and asked Gaara to have sex with me.”

Sasori made a choking sound and Gaara could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. 

Itachi's eyes widened twice their size. “You-

“And then I kissed him. He’s the Kazekage, and I can get in trouble for that. What if he tells people?” He seemed to have forgotten Gaara was two feet away from him. “What if he tells Papa? He’s going to punish me. What if he tells Minato-sama and he’s really mad at me and he makes me step down from my position? _What if he tells Naruto?”_

Itachi looked, for the very first time, like he had no idea what to say to his brother. Then his eyes snapped up to Gaara in a dangerous glare, as if daring him to actually tell anyone. He didn't seem to care at all about his position. Gaara wasn’t insulted. He knew how close the two of them were. 

Sasuke's eyes welled with tears, and he frantically looked around until he met Gaara’s eyes. Apparently, he hadn't forgotten he was there. Gaara might have found it amusing if the omega he desired wasn't a moment away from a panic attack. “I’m sorry, Gaara. I don't know why I- I don't usually act like that.” His face went bright pink. “I don't like...I mean I’ve never…I’m really sorry I just...I’m sorry-”

“Okay. Go to sleep.” 

Sasori touched Sasuke's shoulder and he slumped against the wall, completely unconscious. 

“Sasori.” 

“It's fine, Gaara,” Sasori said, getting down on his knees to grab Sasuke off the ground. He turned so his back faced him and theng grabbed his arms, pulling them over his lithe shoulders and climbing up onto his feet. He hiked Sasuke's legs up and held them tight. He did it with all the quickness of a man who was desperate to get the job done so he could go home on time, and he looked the part, expression and all. 

“Why did you do that?” Itachi was suddenly in his face, eyes flashing dangerously. “Let him go, I’ll take him.” 

Sasori's busy expression didn't change. 

“We’ll make sure he gets back in one piece.” 

“Give me my brother.” Itachi hissed. 

“Gaara! There you are!” 

They all watched as Kankuro ran up, looking winded from trying to move in his tight formal clothes. “Where did you go? Hokage-sama is looking for you! They’re going to cut the cake.” 

Gaara’s eyes dimmed. Anyone could see how conflicted he was. He wanted to be able to take Sasuke home personally, but he had to tend to his duties. As much as Naruto was his friend, being at his wedding was as much about politics as it was about friendships. People would notice if he wasn't there. There would be talk. 

He nodded, and then turned to Itachi. “Itachi-san...please, do me this favor. Sasori will make sure he’s safe, and you can watch them all the way.” Gaara’s eyes were pleading. It was not a look he gave lightly, and even more rarely he put so much genuine emotion in his voice. 

Itachi sighed and closed his eyes. 

“Fine.”

“Thank you. I will formally be in your debt.” 

Itachi, surprisingly, did not protest that. Gaara didn't care either way. Itachi would be his brother in law, if he had it his way. A member of his family, a person he would want to protect more than anything. Whether he owed Itachi or not, he wanted to be there for Sasuke's family if they needed him. 

“Lets go.”

Gaara nodded, and with one more glance back at Sasuke, he left Sasori and Itachi alone on the bridge together. 

//

Itachi was quiet on the way to the compound. 

Despite being the one to show them around, and them being here for a few days already, the two of them had not spoken. Sasori would have thought Itachi didn't remember him, but he could feel the omega watching him when he thought him to be busy. 

“This way.” It was the first thing Itachi had said since Gaara had left. He led Sasori down the street. 

Sasori wondered if he should say something. Apologize. Explain himself. 

No, it was better this way. 

He shouldn't get attached. 

Itachi would just end up leaving. 

He would probably be disgusted if he found out anything more. 

His eyes curiously ate up the sight of the house as they approached it. Architecture was an art that he had some interest in. It could last a long time. The houses in the compound were different from many of those in the center of the village, and even more different than the ones in Suna. The Uchiha had a habit of putting their crest on everything, it seemed. He had never seen a clan place it around with such frequency. 

Sasuke and Itachi even had it on the backs of their formal wear. 

Itachi opened the front door, and the sounds of a crying baby greeted them. 

An alpha woman with long brown hair came into view, her smile falling when she saw Sasori carrying Sasuke. 

“Itachi?” She asked, the crying toddler throwing out his little chubby hands towards the omega. 

“He’s just asleep.” Itachi took the baby. “When did you come back?”

“Just now. Reo was cranky, so we thought it best not to make him stay and bother everyone.”

“Mmm. I’ll take him for now.”

She looked relieved, her smile was gentle, her eyes thankful and caring. 

“Itachi.” Sasori piped up, irritated. “Where's his room?”

Itachi shot him a look he couldn't read, and led him through the house without a word. 

By the time they reached Sasuke's room, the baby was asleep. When Sasori laid him down, Itachi tucked the child in with him, pulling the blankets over them both. He left a space on the child's other side, and part of Sasori knew he would join them once he left. 

“Thank you.” 

Sasori hadn't expected that. Itachi was looking at him. It was hard to read his mood, he was hiding. 

“I was just following my orders.” 

There it was. It was slight, but Sasori could see he was angry before he hid it again. 

“Right. I’ll show you to the door.” 

“No need. I remember the way.”

“Fine.” 

Itachi slammed the door shut before he could close it behind himself. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh, naruto. dont you know the b word is forbidden? 
> 
> over the years, their relationship definitely got better, but naruto is still a sensitive topic for sasuke, and his feelings are easily hurt when it comes to him. whether or not thats bc he actually still loves him or not is complicated, you could say. 
> 
> shukaku is such a instigator. poor gaara. 
> 
> ah, sasori and itachi...those two. 
> 
> pls tell me what you thought! i was excited to post this but also worried about how everyone would take it, so feedback would be very appreciated if you feel like leaving some!

**Author's Note:**

> in theory, tenma is still alive in this au, so itachi wouldnt have awakened his sharingan at age eight. currently, hes about fourteen. he has all his other achievements though, like being part of anbu and graduating the academy really young, etc  
> besides, sharingan is connected to emotional, not violence, so i think awakening it like this would be feasible, itachi has always just let his parents lead him and been okay with it, and this is the first time hes been both heartbroken and furious etc  
> also, itachi is an omega, and inside somewhere a part of him already considered izumi his mate, so it was extra traumatic for him
> 
> did fugaku choose izumi bc he wanted to awaken itachis sharingan? maybe <3


End file.
